The Grave
by Palladias
Summary: A Hermionecentric last battle from Snape's POV. When the time comes to face Voldemort, unlikely heros emerge. PG13 for major character deaths. NLHG NO SSHG


Disclaimer: As shocking as this may be, I am not J. K. Rowling. I do not own Snape, Neville, Hermione, Harry, Voldemort, Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Don McLean or Sodium Chloride, (NaCl) much to my dismay. As a kid, I don't even own this computer. Shucks.   
  
A/N: The song is by Don McLean and is all his except the last line. (I changed the gender) To everyone waiting for chapter five of The Chem. Lab is Mightier than the Wand: I'm in the middle of it, but I already wrote chapters 6-8. Sorry for the delay, we're in 'hell week' of our school production of Guys and Dolls. This is General Matilda Cartwright signing off.   
  


**The Grave**   
  
_The grave that they dug him had flowers  
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors,  
And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone.  
He's gone._

  
  
The Dark Lord steadily gained power during Harry Potter's, the Boy who Once Lived, sixth and seventh years. Albus, growing senile in his old age, put all his hope into one of Sybil's inane prophecies and began instructing Potter in Defense Against the Dark Arts himself. Potter, in turn, taught the rabble that followed him adoringly, Granger, Weasley, Longbottom, Chang, Macmillan, Lovegood, Abbot, Bones, and the like. This is what we had come to, training little children to save the world.   
  
_

When the wars of our nation did beckon,  
A man barely twenty did answer the call.

_   
  
They all reacted differently to the pressure. Longbottom began to improve marginally in class, Lovegood lost her dreamy air, and Weasley was even spotted a few times in the library. No one could figure out what Granger was up to. One moment, she was writing letters to her friends and family in the event that she died. The next time you turned around, she was emerging from the Forbidden Forest slightly charred and smelling of chlorine. And she still had time to duel Weasley after he attacked Longbottom when he discovered Granger and Longbottom were dating. The staff paid no attention to her, too busy doting on the Headmaster's Golden Boy.   
  
As their graduation grew nearer, Potter's sidekicks began to decline. Weasley began losing sleep, but he still followed Potter like some great overgrown dog. Granger was the one who seemed suddenly reluctant to follow Potter in lockstep. She had been fighting with Potter and Weasley for some time already. First they had bickered over Granger and Longbottom. Now it had escalated. Weasley and Potter wanted to go attack Voldemort soon. Potter believed, in his arrogant manner, as he was the only one who could defeat the Dark Lord, he should get a move on and do it. Granger favored waiting and planning instead. Dumbledore's confidence had gone straight to Potter's head, as usual. Potter woke all his friends the night before graduation and set off. All his friends, but Granger.   
  


_Proud of the trust that he placed in our nation, He's gone,  
But eternity knows him, and it knows what we've done_

  
  
Granger figured this out when Longbottom deserted Potter's gang rather than leave her. The two of them went to find Albus who greeted them with a cheery, "He's gone after him has he?" The two students were unable to convince our bumbling Headmaster that Potter needed anyone's help. In desperation, they turned to me. Longbottom even managed to master his fear and come partway into my office, but it was Granger who did the talking, and as always she was concise and to the point.   
  
"Harry's gone haring off on a wild quest for Voldemort. Professor Dumbledore believes he's destined to win and isn't trying to help. In all likelihood, Voldemort will summon you soon, and we want you to try to get the children out of there. Will you help us?"   
  
I don't know what answer I would have given her had we not been interrupted. Granger had been correct in her analysis of the situation. My Dark Mark burned at that moment, and Lucius Malfoy's head appeared in my fireplace. Granger hurried behind a table and pulled Longbottom after her.   
  
"Severus," proclaimed Lucius, "our time has come. The Potter boy is coming, and he cannot stand against the massed forces of the Dark Lord. Make your excuses or not as you see fit. Your pretense will not hold for much longer. We are massing at the Riddle House. Consider these your marching orders," and he vanished with a slight pop without waiting for my answer.   
  
A moment after Lucius disappeared, Granger crawled out from under the table. She wrinkled her nose distastefully at the fire. "That was idiotic," she said dismissively. "He had no way of knowing you were alone in your office, Professor. Strange, Lucius Malfoy is not known for being stupid." A person could nearly see the cogs turning over in her head as she worked out the problem. "I don't think they quite trust you, to be so reckless with your life. Watch your back, Professor."   
  
She had told me nothing I did not know, though she meant it well. It was perceptive of her, and I wish now I had not been so harsh with her. "Be silent, you silly chit of a girl! You know nothing, and I need no cautions from foolish Mudbloods who do not understand the workings of politics!"   
  
Longbottom stepped between us, wand at the ready, his voice losing its quiver, "You take that back. Hermione was trying to help, though I don't know why she'd think you deserve it. I hope Voldemort kills you slowly, you cruel son of a..."   
  
"_Neville!_" Hermione forced his wand arm down. "Now is not the time for petty squabbling, and if we do not hang together, we will assuredly hang separately." She turned back to me. "If you will not help Harry, please give us a portkey so we can help as we may."   
  
"As you wish," I replied softly. Unauthorized portkeys were illegal but soon it would not matter. I levitated a rat spleen from my cauldron and murmured _Portus_. Granger stood resolute, grabbing Longbottom's hand. "Catch," I said. She missed the slippery spleen, but swiftly snatched it up. In a moment the two vanished from my view. I left the grounds and followed suit.   
  
_

And the rain fell like pearls on the leaves of the flowers  
Leaving brown, muddy clay where the earth had been dry.  
And deep in the trench he waited for hours,  
As he held to his rifle and prayed not to die.

_   
  
I knew where the Portkey would lead Granger and Longbottom. It would deposit them about a quarter of mile from the Riddle House. They could make their own way from there. I had more pressing matters to attend to. When I arrived at the Riddle House I was briefed. Potter and company were approaching the house, but as they did not know the way it took them a while. I was stationed on the roof to monitor the advance. I was not trusted to join the Death Eaters circling above on broomsticks. The Dark Lord would not allow Potter to escape his fate. Once the ragged band was engaged, the dementors of Azkaban would surround the house and allow no one to escape. The call finally went up to attack. I was called down to charge alongside Malfoy, who would keep an eye on me. In the light of the first spells, I saw two figures approaching from the other side of the house. I cursed under my breath that I could not at least spare Longbottom and Granger. Then there was no more time for thought.   
  
_

The silence of night was shattered by fire  
As guns and grenades blasted sharp through the air.

_   
  
Potter and his friends turned out to meet us. Their pale faces shone with triumph. They knew they had right on their side and couldn't lose. They died with shock on their faces. Patil, Patil, and Macmillan died instantly in the first attack. Others fell, twitching in the throes of the Cruciatus Curse. They flung back a quick counter-attack, but their spells were laughable compared to the might of the assembled Death Eaters. Rookwood would cast the _Avada Kedavra_ and a student would put up an easily defeated Shield Charm. I expected Longbottom and Granger to run in to save their friends, but they were nowhere to be seen. Then Rookwood dropped beside me.   
  
I looked about, but none of Potter's ragged band had been attacking my group. I looked behind me and saw a jet of red light fly out of the wood and strike Nott in the back. He fell silently. Longbottom and Granger were attacking from the rear. Although they were able to Stun many of the Death Eaters, the duo could do no lasting damage. It appeared Albus had taught only Potter the Killing Curse. The others continued to fall. Soon only Potter stood, horrified, in the midst of his ill-advised Children's Crusade.   
  
_

And one after another his comrades were slaughtered.  
In morgue of marines, alone standing there.

_   
  
Impatient, the Dark Lord spurred us on to encircle Potter. He did not even pause to reanimate the Stunned Death Eaters. We filed around Potter who stood upright, hand on his wand, waiting to die. A yell split the air as the Dark Lord approached.   
  
"Hey, Tom Riddle! Hey, _halfblood_!"   
  
The Dark Lord's face twisted in hatred and pain. "Who said that?" he roared. He whipped away from Potter. A clod of dirt struck his shoulder.   
  
"I did!" The Death Eaters surrounding me laughed. Granger was a pathetic sight. Her robes were torn and soiled from her trek to the Riddle House. Her hair was unloosed and had several small twigs sticking out at odd angles. I was surprised Longbottom did not follow her out. I later found she had Stunned him from behind to keep him from the fray.   
  
"I needed to get your attention, Mr. Riddle. I just was wondering, since you're half muggle, are you planning to patriotically commit suicide to fit in with your bigoted world view?"   
  
The Dark Lord pulled out his wand to curse her into oblivion when Lucius Malfoy interrupted. "My Lord, perhaps you might leave her alive until after you dispatch the Potter boy. She is Mudblood slime and can do no harm. She might prove entertaining."   
  
"Indeed, thus far I have been quite entertaining" Granger cut in. "For instance, I have been speaking to you this entire time to give Harry time to kill you."   
  
"I can't attack someone behind their back," Potter yelled in a strangled voice.   
  
"Honestly," Granger muttered. She moved to kick the Dark Lord in the kneecap, but he had spun to face down Potter.   
  
"_A..Avada Kedavra_!" Potter yelled. A green bolt flew through the air and splashed against the Dark Lord's chest. He remained upright, laughing.   
  
"You fools, did you really believe I had never protected myself against the simple Killing Curse. No wizard," he turned to Hermione, "or witch, can kill me. You however have no such protection nor does your boyfriend.."   
  
"He is _not_ my boyfriend! Boys and girls _can_ have fulfilling platonic relationships."   
  
"..as you will all see. _Avada Kedavra_!" Slowly the famous Harry Potter fell surprised forever that being good is no guarantee of success.   
  
The Death Eaters now encircled Granger, wands drawn. Several cast the Cruciatus Curse, but the spells only whipped past her and struck other Death Eaters, for Granger had collapsed into a heap sobbing. "Please don't kill me, too," she pleaded helplessly. I had expected more from her, some sort of foolish last stand would have been more in character.   
  
_

He crouched ever lower, ever lower with fear.  
"They can't let me die! They can't let me die here!  
I'll cover myself with the mud and the earth.  
I'll cover myself! I know I'm not brave!  
The earth! The earth! The earth is my grave."

_   
  
The Dark Lord laughed softly. "So, this is how the friend of the brave Harry Potter faces death. You were right, Lucius, when you told me this Hermia mudblood was no threat to us."   
  
She rose at this. I was to the left of the Dark Lord, and I saw her eyes smolder. She was careful not to meet the Dark Lord's eyes, and I was momentarily gratified to know my work in Occlumency with Potter had not been wasted. "My name," she said slowly and carefully, "is Hermione, and…." She trailed off catching sight of me.   
  
"P..Professor Snape? You're working for _him_? You _bastard_!" She ran at me suddenly. "I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!" She lowered her voice and spoke again, "Run." She hit me in the stomach causing me to double up in pain. For a moment, her face was in mine and she said more quietly still, "Please run." Then she shoved me out of the circle.   
  
The Death Eaters moved together to prevent Granger from escaping through the gap my fall had created. She snapped upright and yelled in the tones of madness, "You shall not pass!" She muttered a spell and plunged her wand down. The dirt and mud around her was Transfigured into shining cubic crystals forming two concentric circles, one around her and one behind the Death Eaters. They paused, unnerved. The Dark Lord laughed again.   
  
"_Salt_? You believe you can hold me off with _salt_? I am no fey creature bound by elements of the earth. See, your spell is worthless," he finished as he stepped onto the salt circle.   
  
Now she smiled again, but more calmly. She spoke with her eyes locked onto Malfoy's, who always had been a pitiful Legilimens. "There must be a lesson in it somewhere. The Nazgul safe from all mortal _men_, Metatron, of The Amber Spyglass, safe from all the powers of the _angels_, and you safe from every power _wizards_ can muster. Somewhere along the line you think people would learn, the people you underestimate will defeat you through your own oversight."   
  
It was a wonderful bluff. The Dark Lord had halted on her mention of _Nazgul_, and it seemed for a moment something stirred within him, but soon Granger's spell of words had ceased to mesmerize him. He reached for his wand, and she, in desperation, met his eyes.   
  
"I will defeat you." The Dark Lord moved back at this statement, which meant he had found no lie in this statement. In the moment of confusion that followed Granger seized her last chance. She mumbled an incantation. The ground changed. The salt crystals had vanished, replaced by chalky silver blobs hidden in a haze of green smoke. Granger was obscured but I could see her drop to her knees and cry, "I die a muggle!" as her wand came sailing through the air. I caught it and seized an abandoned broomstick to retreat. It was a good decision. In the fog, several Death Eaters cast the Killing Curse in vain. Hermione's spell had been too strong, even for her, and she was beyond all spells now.   
  
Several Death Eaters fell, I assumed from the curses they had slung off but the men kept falling. I heard Bellatrix Lestrange call out for bubble-head charms. The green smoke was poison gas. The smoke cleared and only seven Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, himself, remained. Among those dead were Lucius Malfoy, Rookwood, the Lestrange brothers, and, of course, Hermione.   
  
Macnair moved about nervously, suspicious of further attack. He kicked moodily at one of the chalky stones. It rolled along until it was stopped by Hermione's body. He kicked another, sending it with a splash into a large mud puddle behind the Dark Lord. Suddenly a tower of flame roared into the air catching the back of the Dark Lord's robes.   
  
The Death Eaters were not stopped. They hurriedly drew their wands and sent steams of water soaring across the land. Where the water touched the stones, flames grew, red hot fragments flew, and a stinging gas spread. The Dark Lord was surrounded by the stones and, encircled in a pillar of flame, shrieked high above the screams of his Death Eaters.   
  
I flew lower once more to cast the spell to summon water until all that was left under the starry sky was the scorched Death Eaters, Hermione, and I.   
  
_

The grave that they dug him had flowers  
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors,  
And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone.

_   
  
Later, I went to the memorial. On the shores of the Hogwarts Lake stood a great golden statue of Dumbledore's golden boy. On the other side of the lake was a tall column engraved with the name of all those who had fallen in the last battle. One of the names was Hermione's. The wizarding world had refused to believe her story, especially when presented by an ex-death eater with a grudge and an almost-squib who hadn't been conscious at the time. We had appealed to Albus only once who had said, "Let them have their heros."   
  
_

She's gone.

_


End file.
